Not What You Bargained For
by BrokenChosenofEva
Summary: Living the life they won by stopping SEELE from using Kaworu or Asuka to trigger Third Impact, Asuka and Touji suddenly find themselves in a world that seems so familiar yet so wrong. Their only proof it wasn't all a dream is the rings they wore, and their shared memories of two children.


**Neon Genesis Evangelion**  
**Pilot's Table**  
**By D.A.**

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Title: Take Two, The Whole Gang Together  
Prompt: Set 1 / Prompt 29 (Home)  
Word Count: 6000+  
Rating: T  
Summary: Asuka and Touji suddenly find themselves in a world that seems so familiar yet so wrong.  
Disclaimer: I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion

Notes: Idea hit, and I wrote. Figure it out. Probably use this prompt for the entire arc/story.  
May be faster pace than I like for a story, but we'll see how it flows.

Part 1 of the "Not What You Bargained For" story.

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"I wouldn't have minded being called grandma by those two." Misato said, looking to Asuka and Touji as she smiled despite the shine to her eyes, "You were always more of a daughter to me, Asuka."

"I know," Asuka smiled as she leaned over and gave Misato a hug, "even after all these years, the only mother I don't mind hearing is when my kids call for me."

"I thought as much." Misato nodded, "I would never want you to connect that woman with me. So I'm happy to be your big sister."

"That's the life we live." Touji said, and started to say more when-

-he woke up in class, his last year at Tokyo-3 Senior High. He really wanted to scream right then, and the mix of panic and anger on his face must have showed because Kensuke caught his attention. Seeing his friend's concern, Touji waved it off, gesturing that he'd tell him later. What he'd tell his friend he didn't know, but he decided to deal with it when it came.

Over lunch, Shinji invited his two friends to join him on a trip out to a UN fleet that was bringing another Eva unit and it's Pilot. As Kensuke started to bombard Shinji with questions, Touji froze as he realized this was when he first met Asuka. The real first time, not when she showed up at school as the Pilot of Unit-One. Would she remember? If she didn't, would he be able to get her to date him? That last life was everything he wanted, he'd realized it even as he told Misato that was the life they lived, and he didn't want it to be just a dream.

But it had to be real, he was sure of it. It was far too detailed, and simply felt too concrete for it to have been a dream. He couldn't accept that their two kids had been a dream, that their marriage had been some subconscious wish. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he noticed something small had wedged itself at the bottom of his left pocket. Pulling it out, he gaped at and then shoved back what he instantly recognized as his wedding band. The wedding band that matched the one he had given Asuka ten years ago.

_Please_, the seventeen year old thought fervently, _please let Asuka remember too. I don't think I can handle all dis crap a third time without her._

0o0o0o0

At the same instant, Asuka found herself aboard the Over The Rainbow, sixteen and still bound for a meeting with "the three stooges". As all of that registed, all her memories of the last time she was here and her life with Touji settling into place, she bolted upright and choked out an aborted scream.

_NO, no, no, nononono! _she thought, hands pressed tight over her lips to trap her sobs even as tears poured from her eyes and over her fingers, _Not again, I don't wanna see those harpies again, Don't wanna be eaten again._

Scrambling out of bed, she had decided to take a nap, she dug through her small purse. _Please, let it be here with me, please!_ And there, in the pocket with her lipstick and chapstick, was an engagement ring and matching wedding band. The ones Touji had given her in that last life.

_He's all I've got, the kids are gone_, Asuka thought, clutching the rings to her chest, trying to take slow, calm breaths even as tears fell from her eyes and her sobs threatened to start again, _Please let him remember, I may be The Great Asuka Langley Sohryu, but I need to be Asuka Langley Suzuhara._

Nothing made sense, and her mind refused to accept what her senses told her: she was awake on the Over The Rainbow, bound for Japan and Tokyo-3, alone but for Ryoji Kaji across the hall from her. Her memories of her life with Touji, and memories of a life before that which mirrored her life now though younger, were far too real in her mind for them to be a dream. _Get ahold of yourself Suzuhara, you aren't some little girl, _Asuka snapped in her mind, relaxing back against the bunk, _You're a grown woman and moth- mother of two. That life was real!_

Fighting for calm, letting the tears stain her cheeks, Asuka slowly put on her rings. They didn't quite fit, but she wasn't surprised. Touji had given her the engagement ring when she was nineteen, and they'd been married shortly after she turned twenty. Her hands now weren't quite the same as they would be in fourteen years. Fourteen years and two children that she now had a chance to do over, she realized. A chance she would take, whether Touji remembered those times or not.

0o0o0o0

Just before lunch the next day found Asuka once again on a walkway a single level above the deck as the helicopter carrying Misato, Touji, the Third, and the Otaku landed and it's four passengers unloaded. She watched them as they moved away from the craft and it took off, this time wearing a pair of jeans and red vest over a white t-shirt. She had learned her lesson concerning wind and skirts. Touji was still in his track suit jacket, but was otherwise wearing the school uniform, and his ball cap from last time was missing. Smiling and checking her pocket for her rings, the redhead vaulted the eight or so feet to the deck below and began to walk over to them. Shinji was the same, if a little older, as were Misato and Kensuke, and she had to roll her eyes at the familiar yet new sight.

"Ah! There you are Asuka!" Misato called cheerfully, and Asuka saw Touji jerk his gaze to her so fast that for a moment she thought he'd snap his neck, but his reaction left little doubt in her mind that he remembered, "Boys, I'd like to introduce Asuka Langely Sohryu, Pilot of Eva Unit-Two."

"Long time no see, Misato." Asuka returned the greeting, then grinned, "Charmed, I'm sure. Now who's the third? Not the nerd, maybe Osaka-boy here?"

The three boys jerked back at her bold, loud, abrasive tone, though for Touji it wasn't because he felt intimidated. That was the nickname she had used when he pissed her off. His eyes widened as that thought clicked, and he took a chance.

"Osaka ain't that bad, Red." he challenged back, earning a wide-eyed stare from his two friends and an interested look from Misato, "How'd ya know?"

"I guessed." she huffed, flicking her hair to hide giving him a wink, some of the tension leaving their frames at the familiar teasing, "But thanks for confirming it, Stooge."

"So, are you the Pilot?" she demanded, then gave Touji a grin as Misato called attention to Shinji, and turned to eye her fellow Pilot, "This scrawny thing? Where did they dig you up?"

"Asuka play nice." Misato chided, a spark in her eye as she glanced between Asuka and the two boys still standing there, "How's this, why don't you take Shinji to see your eva. Bring Suzuhara along, since you've hit it off so well. I'll make sure Aida doesn't go into the wrong room. Lunch in the officer's mess?"

"I'll be sure not to break either Stooge when I show them my top of the line Eva, Misato." Asuka waved dismissively, grabbing both boys by the wrist and dragging them off, "Don't give that other Stooge a nose-bleed when you catch him."

Whatever Misato's reply would have been was drowned out by the wind.

0o0o0o0

The tour had been going great, Shinji thought, until Touji made a snide comment about the Eva looking like a drowned doll. That had been the wrong thing to say, and instantly his friend and Asuka had gotten into a loud argument over whether the Eva was actually as good as she bragged compared to Shinji's proven record. After five minutes, the Pilot of Unit-One had called out he was going to lunch, then bolted.

As soon as they were sure Shinji had gone out of hearing range, Asuka and Touji doubled over and laughed until tears came, then grabbed each other as if their lives depended on it and cried. Some minutes later, finally calm, they pulled back enough to see each other's face.

"What did I tell you in the apartment after Zeruel and Bardiel?" she asked, knowing he remembered yet her eyes desperately searching.

"Ya said ya'd let me in." Touji whispered, brushing a lock of hair from her tear stained face, "What'd I tell ya in Terminal Dogma?"

"You said you'd handled me that far," she smirked, brushing a kiss over his lips before continuing, "and that it meant you weren't lying when you told Kensuke you'd be marrying an Angel."

"Damn straight." Touji relaxed, then stepped back as he dug in his pockets, "I know I got it here somewhere...Ah, ha!"

Pulling two small boxes out of his jacket pockets, Touji opened one to reveal a gold chain necklace with his wedding band on it. Putting the neckleace and ring around his neck, he tucked it into his shirt before handing Asuka the other box.

"That's beautiful Touji." Asuka whispered, pulling a matching gold chain out of the other box, then digging in her jean pockets. Putting her rings on the chain and slipping it around her neck and under her shirt, Asuka grabbed his shoulders and planted another kiss on his lips and smirked, "I'm glad to see all that husband training I gave you carried over to this go-round. But did you have to make that doll comment?"

"Guess it did, and how else was I goin tuh scare Shinji off so we could have a few moments alone before-" Touji snorted, grinning at her, and was cut off when the ship rocked. Eyes wide, they both bolted to the deck of the freighter. Looking out over the fleet, they're fears were confirmed: Gaghiel was attacking the fleet.

0o0o0o0

"Not wearing your plugsuit, Red!" Touji said, holding the offending item away from him with half an eye for his wife as she tossed her clothes into the corner and pulled on her own Plugsuit, "I will not be stuck like Shin-man was."

"Whatever, Stooge," Asuka grunted, ignoring him as she finished adjusting the suit and activated the air-seal in the wrist. Now wearing her form-fitting plugsuit, Asuka took the spare from Touji's hand and threw it over with her soon to be lost clothes, grabbed his wrist and placed her necklace and rings in his hand, "Put these in your pocket and keep them safe until school tomorrow. Let's go kill an Angel."

"Too easy for us." Touji bragged, and followed Asuka as he placed their necklaces and rings in a pocket.

The fight went exactly as Asuka remembered it, the only change being Shinji was with Misato while Touji was with her. She also noticed the same sense of being connected that she had in the last life. _If I'm an Angel this time too, I need to be ready to deal with Kaworu,_ Asuka thought as they hopped ship to ship, _but I have to keep it wrapped up until the last possible second._

It worked out, and it was funny watching Touji acting like it was only the second time he'd been in Unit-Two, or any Eva for that matter. They reached the docks, and after he'd been cleared and said goodbye to Shinji and her, Touji set out for his house and a long shower to clean off the LCL.

_And_, he grumbled in his mind, _an hour using mom's jewelry cleaner that dad put in the attic tuh get our rings clean of the smell. Need tuh bring a couple sealable sandwich bags next time..._

0o0o0o0

The rest of the day was easy for Asuka. Keeping up her bratty persona, especially around Shinji, was simple if stressfull and annoying. And this time when she argued with Shinji about the doors and was caught by Misato, she actually had to fight to keep from laughing. The situation was much more funny this time, and she found it easier to be nice after the "shock" of sharing the apartment with Shinji was "revealed". He wasn't bad, and she supposed being a mother for eight years had given her the patience to deal with him. No, Shinji would not leave her to die this time. And they'd both save Touji from Bardiel, or she just might kill Shinji afterwards.

Sleeping, however, was not as easy as before. She had to force herself not to breakdown when she remembered once again that her children were gone. Then she realized she was going to be sleeping without her husband next to her and didn't have her rings to play with to comfort herself, and the panic tried to swamp her. It was a habit she had developed when Touji had to go out of town with his School's team, toying with her rings, and him being the coach meant he was gone often during sports season.

So, sneaking out of her room and to the kitchen, she took the phone and stepped quietly onto the balcony. She leaned against the railing, staring at the phone for several minutes and feeling both embarassed and desperate. She snorted in frustration, then slowly and carefully dialed in the number Touji had whispered to her before he'd left. Holding it to her ear, it only took three rings before Touji's voice came from the earpiece.

"Hello Asuka, I was wonderin' when ya'd call." his tone was meant to be teasing, but came out relieved and a little shakey, "Got'em all cleaned, I'll bring'em to ya tomorrow. Lunch on the roof?"

"Sounds good, Touji." Asuka relaxed, sighing, "Thanks for cleaning them, I don't have a cleaning set here yet."

"Hey, too easy, Red." he chuckled, and Asuka smiled, "You were pretty badass out there, just say I owe ya a few. Man, only Pilot I don't owe yet is Ayanami."

"Tomorrow, Stooge." Asuka snorted, amused, and hearing his acknowledgement she hung up and put the phone away. Slipping into her bed, she found sleep came much easier. And for once, no nightmares haunted her dreams as she slept in this apartment.

0o0o0o0

After Asuka's phone call, despite how much it calmed him, Touji still found sleep elusive. The nagging loss of their kids and the fact they would have to face the angels again, not to mention Asuka would be facing several of them without him unlike last time, did not calm him. Yes, he knew how Shinji and Rei had worked with Asuka that first time, both before and after Bardiel, but he didn't like trusting others with what he felt was his. Not that Asuka couldn't handle herself, he just would've felt better if he could back her up.

Especially considering what had happened the first time when a different Asuka had to rely on a broken Shinji and distant Rei.

_This time, I'll make sure Asuka is ok,_ Touji thought, and finally began to drift off, _Not gonna lose everythin a third time._

0o0o0o0

"Man, I can't believe you got to ride in another Evangelion!" Kensuke whined, grabbing Touji's shoulders and giving him a shake the other young man didn't notice, "What did you do? Sweet talk her?"

"I doubt it." Shinji muttered, "They were almost at each other's throats when I left. She probably did it for the same reason I did."

"Really?" Ken glanced between the sulking Shinji and the distracted Touji. The jock was staring at the door like he expected someone to walk in at any moment, but Kensuke hadn't heard a single whisper about a new student, and Shinji kept glancing at Hikari's desk. That kinda threw the teen, shy-Shinji looking like that.

"She's a fire-brand, Ken my man," Touji finally seemed to snap out of wherever his mind had gone, and gave his friends a smirk, "Regular red-devil, I'm surprised I don't have bruises. Shinji bolted 'fore she decided tuh slap me."

As Ken and Shinji gaped at him and processed what that could mean for them, Touji inwardly winced at his lie. It wasn't strictly true, Asuka hadn't slapped him _this time_, but she had slapped him the very first time they met. On the same deck, the same place that this time she winked at him. Hearing Misato call out her name might as well have been a slap though, with how fast he'd turned to see her. Spotting Hikari enter the room, he quickly opened his school-issue laptop, knowing Asuka would see it and take the hint.

"All rise, bow, be seated." Hikari called as the teacher stepped into the room and stood behind his desk.

"Class, today we have another new student, just transferred from Germany." he gestured to the door, and in walked Asuka, grinning at the entire room before scrolling her full name across the board. Touji noticed she hesitated only a moment as she wrote out "Sohryu", but no one around him seemed to see it as far as he could tell.

"I'm Asuka Langely Sohryu," she spun back around and greeted the class, hands behind her back as she smiled demurely, "Charmed, I'm sure."

"Please take the open seat behind Ms. Horaki, and we'll begin." the teacher directed as Hikari waved and gestured behind her, then launched into his pre-second impact lesson before she'd even taken a step.

After a whispered hello to Hikari, Asuka booted up the school laptop and pinged Touji's terminal.

PrivateChat_2Voice...  
[TheJock: sleep good red?]

[Scarlet: decently, stooge. got everything?]

[TheJock: in my pocket, lunch on the roof.]

[Scarlet: I remember. later, we'll talk after school.]  
PrivateChat_1Voice...  
PrivateChat_noOccupant

Closing their chat programs, they occupied themselves with reviewing the actual lessons for that day just as the rest of the class did. Homeroom was really more study hall with this teacher. How the ancient looking gentleman was still teaching was beyond everyone in the class, as was how he was homeroom teacher for all the junior and senior high classes.

Unnoticed by either, Kensuke eyed his screen in confusion and surreptitiousy glanced between the two. _What did they do and talk about after Shinji left?_ then he blinked as he caught sight of Touji's screen, _and since when does Touji study?_

0o0o0o0

Asuka left with Hikari, presumably to be shown the lunch hall before excusing herself and heading for the roof, so Touji just had to think of a way to escape his two friends and meet her there. He waffled for bit, then blinked when he realized he left his bento at home. _Perfect, I'll just say I'm gonna go get a school lunch, den skip out and head for the roof._ Inwardly congratulating himself, Touji suited actions to words and left his two friends chuckling at his forgetfullness.

Snagging the first thing from the line, Touji grabbed a couple sodas on automatic and made his way to the roof. Opening the door, Touji found Asuka sitting just back from the railing, her back to him as she grumbled under her breath and viciously stabbed at her lunch. Noticing the door slam closed, she turned and grinned when she saw him.

"Bout time you got here," she teased, then smirked, "Guess I'm not the only one on auto-pilot today. Hand me my soda, faithful stooge."

Touji blinked, glancing down at the sodas he'd grabbed and found he had in fact grabbed one for her and one for him without noticing. Chuckling, he passed one to her and set down his lunch before pulling the necklaces from his pocket. Giving Asuka hers, he put his own on and tucked it out of sight. Putting on and hiding her own, Asuka began to eat and Touji followed suit.

"So..." Touji began once they'd finished eating, "How we gonna work dis?"

Asuka froze, staring off into the distance, before she slowly turned to Touji with her eyes downcast.

"We know what each of the Angels does, so we know how to beat them. I'll try to work with Shinji so we don't have to do synch-training, it was embarassing enough the first time." Asuka began, scooting to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with Touji, "And I know I can beat Bardiel this time, as long as I can get Shinji to help me and not wait his turn like last time. I won't lose you, not again."

"At least I'm not the one gettin slushied by Unit-One dis time, and I'll know Bardiel is there. Maybe I can eject the plug at the last second or somethin durin activation." Touji reassured her, gently wrapping an arm around her shoulders, "We got dis."

They sat in silence for several moments, before Asuka whispered their childrens' names and quietly cried into Touji's chest, the young man simply holding her as a few tears escaped his own eyes. They both jumped when the bell rang, and stood to brush themselves off and wipe their eyes.

"Meet ya at the park after school?" Touji asked, then laughed, "It's like we're datin all over again."

"Then a date it will be, stooge. I'll be expecting dinner and a walk home." Asuka smiled, leading the way to the door, both of them missing it click closed, before she frowned in thought, "What about Hikari?"

"I haven't dated her at all, and I think she's actually stringin Shin-man along." Touji shook his head, "Maybe we can get Shin-man to try and date her, insteada watchin her tease him."

"Match-makers, huh?" Asuka teased, and the two chuckled as they made their way back to class.

0o0o0o0

The rest of the day was essentially the same as the beginning, at least for Asuka and Touji. Subjects they were already familiar with being nothing more than refreshers, though Touji's new studiousness did not go unnoticed.

"Hey, Touji." Kensuke called out after class was over for the day. Asuka and Hikari had left, laughing and joking which gave Touji a smile, so the two friends were relatively alone as they left the room and set out for home, "What's going on?"

"What do ya mean, Ken?" he replied somewhat distractedly, "Nother day in Tokyo-3. Where is Shin-man?"

"Shinji had to stay and clean today," Kensuke waved, dismissing the side topic, "I mean why are ya suddenly chummy with the red-devil? You're the one who said that, you masochistic or somethin?"

The Osakan nearly choked on a laugh, and used the time clearing his throat to try and think of a believable reason. If his friend had noticed something, he doubted it would be easily deniable.

"What if we only got off on the wrong foot?" Touji scrambled, laughing and scratching the back of his head as they stepped outside, "Ya know I put my foot in my mouth alot. Why do ya think Horaki is tryin for Shinji?"

Kensuke eyed Touji, and the taller teen knew he hadn't fooled the otaku for minute. They walked in silence for several minutes, Touji calmer and trying to think of something else while Kensuke kept his thoughts to himself.

"Two questions." the seriousness in his friend's tone made Touji stop, and he turned to give Kensuke an equally level stare as he continued, "I was watching chats like always, and saw what you said to Sohryu. I also saw you and her on the roof. What did she mean by everything? What do you mean it's like dating her all over again?"

Touji's shoulders slumped slightly as he grinned bitterly and looked to the sky, and somehow he looked older to Kensuke. The sandy-haired teen realized then that he may have hit something big, and he actually felt a bit nervous at the change in his long time friend's demeanor. The black haired teen had always been bigger than Kensuke, fitting the stereotype of jock easily, but something about him just came across as older and larger to him.

"I know ya won't accept anythin but the truth," Touji began, glancing at his friend before noticing something over Ken's shoulder, "But you ain't gonna believe what we got to tell ya."

"Try me man," Kensuke glanced behind himself long enough to spot Asuka across the street and looking at Touji before she and Hikari began walking away, "I know when you try lying, you're pretty terrible at it."

The two shared a chuckle as Touji gestured for Ken to follow him down the road in the general direction of Shinji's place.

"I'll tell ya at the park near Shinji's. I've got a date to keep."

0o0o0o0

"So?" Kensuke pried as they reached the park not far from Shinji and Misato's apartment.

"Patience, Ken." Touji admonished, walking to a familiar bench from another life, "You'll hear when she gets here."

"Stooge!"

"Speak of the devil," Touji chuckled, then turned to greet Asuka as she stepped around a tree, "Hey, hun-"

"Don't 'hun' me, Osaka," the redhead fumed, switching her glare between Touji and Kensuke, "I applaud your ability to keep a promise, but I don't recall asking for extra comp-"

"He suspects."

The simple statement instantly shut down Asuka's act, the young woman instantly dropping her arms to her sides and groaning. Touji chuckled nervously as Asuka sat on the bench and gestured them over.

"So, Ken, what do you know?" her question was resigned and curious as she watched him move to stand in front of her, and Touji took a seat next to her, "You've never been stupid, so I'm sure it's more than I thought you'd guess."

"You've dated before, you let Touji have something that he gave back over lunch, and," Kensuke paused, suddenly more nervous and just a little embarrassed, "and I-uh, I saw you crying on the roof, but I didn't hear why. Touji said I won't believe you, but I've known him my whole life, so..."

"Yeah..." Asuka acknowledged, looking a little green, "That's... definitely more than I thought you'd catch..."

"You ok, Red?" Touji leaned over, gently grabbing her hand and rubbing his thumb over her knuckles, "I'll fill him in, then we can get dinner if ya want."

"I'm the Great Asuka Langley Suzuhara," Asuka grinned, her color returning, and she kissed him lightly on the lips, "Nothing can stop me for long. _We'll_ tell him."

Asuka turned back to Kensuke, taking a deep breath, and told him. Told him of the first time she'd been there, told him it ended in blood and a dead earth. Then told him how something reset or rewound, and told him of her life with Touji. They spoke together, Touji and Asuka, filling in gaps and taking over when one or the other paused a little too long.

"Then..." Kensuke paused, grasping at the implications of their story, "So, you're here to try and save everything?"

"You find out your best friend is actually a double time-traveller, married to another time-traveller, recently lost their kids and are now here, and all you can say is 'you're here to save us'?" Asuka snorted a laugh, getting up and giving the otaku a hug before Touji lightly punched his arm and laughed at Asuka's next words, "At least your priorities are straight."

"I'm the weird one," Kensuke grinned, feeling warm that they had trusted him with such a huge secret, "Your tale slots in just fine. Can I- can I see the rings?"

Smiling, Asuka and Touji both pulled their necklaces out of their shirts, holding the chain so the rings hung before them as Kensuke blinked with wide eyes at the only physical evidence of their story. After a moment they put the rings back, and Asuka tugged on Touji's hand before walking slowly towards another familiar sight: Ichiraku's Ramen Cart.

"How about dinner, Ken." Touji asked, following Asuka, "Maybe we can find a way tuh include Hikari in dis. I know Asuka could use her best friend."

"Nah, I gotta think on this," Kensuke smiled, "I'll help ya when you need me man."

0o0o0o0

The dinner was quiet, the only noise being the occassional chuckle or laugh when they tried to sneak food from each other. It was a release, having someone else to share their secret, and they allowed themselves to enjoy being teenagers again. Done just after seven, the two of them took their time walking hand in hand back across the park to her apartment, sometimes stealing a kiss as they meandered.

Reaching the correct floor, Touji stopped her just outside the elevator.

"With Ken knowin, Should we be like before?" Touji shifted from foot to foot, scratching the back of his head, honestly unsure how his wife would react, "Ya know, when we dated. The- the teasing arguments, nothin obvious."

"Relax, Stooge," Asuka smirked as she understood his point, leading the way to the door, "And follow my lead, like always."

"Whatever ya say, Red." he grinned, waiting while Asuka pulled out her keys and opened the door.

"Good night Mr. Suzuhara," she teased, stepping into the kitchen/dining room and taking off her shoes, and grinned when she saw no one was around, "For behaving yourself, you may kiss me on the cheek."

"Whatever ya say, Mrs. Suzuhara." and he kissed her. Stepping back, holding her hand for a moment longer, "G'night Asuka."

Watching him head back to the elevators, Asuka waited until he was out of sight before closing the door. Turning around, she nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Shinji standing at the entrance to the hall that lead to their rooms. His eyes were a mix of confused and surprised, and he seemed to be trying to come up with something to say.

"Sit down, Third, and let me explain." Asuka decided some damage control was in order, and used her best 'I'm the boss' tone, "I-"

"You're married?"

Asuka stopped, eyeing the teen carefully. His tone hadn't been accusatory, only curious and a touch confused. Which didn't surprise her, she and Touji had put on a pretty convincing show on the freighter, though there had been real anger at first. Two lives and she still hated dolls, maybe even still hated her mother. Which was sad, she realized. She didn't have any proof her mother in this life had played with her genes to make her like Kaworu.

But that was something to figure out later. For now, a seventeen year old Shinji was waiting for a straight answer or more proof most people couldn't be trusted.

"Yes, and no," she admitted, putting as much honesty into her voice as she could, "It's complicated. If you'll hear me out, I'll tell you. But you have to promise to _listen_ Shinji."

At Shinji's nod and quiet agreement, she took the seat across from him and pulled her necklace out, letting the rings hang gently against the front of her white school blouse.

"Touji and I, as of the day before you met me on the Over The Rainbow, are not from this time." Asuka began, holding up a hand to stop Shinji from asking the question written all over his face, _I'd forgotten just how open he is..._ she mused before continuing, "We've both lived this life and another before that day. The last one, our second, we lived long enough to be married for nearly ten years. This is the first time we've retained memories of our other lives, and it's... good and bad."

She explained, vaguely, what happened the first time. Telling him only that in the end Third Impact happened but collapsed. This lead to her second life, and she told of how she met Touji and stopped Third Impact. She told him that this life so far mirrored her first, and that she planned to use her memories to help Shinji stop Third Impact again.

"That's..." the boy, and he felt like a kid as he sat across from Asuka, simply stared at her in a mix of shock and horror, "I don't- what can I say..."

"Nothing," she breathed, standing and putting her necklace back in her shirt, "Don't tell Misato, not yet. Kensuke knows, he guessed and snuck around listening to us over lunch."

"Miss Suzuhara-"

"Mrs. Suzuhara, and don't use it in public." Asuka corrected and smiled, and Shinji returned the smile, if a bit warily, "You can still call me Asuka, you're still our friend."

"Asuka," he acknowledged, taking a calming breath, "Thank you for trusting me, and telling me the truth."

"Of course, Shinji. You've been lied to enough." Asuka walked over and patted him on the shoulder, "I'll see you tomorrow. Get some sleep."

Exchanging good nights, the two went to their respective rooms. Asuka found sleep easier this time, tightly holding her rings as she drifted off.

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A/N: I know, another time jump/reset fic. Couldn't stop myself. When I get the urge to write, I write. Otherwise it bugs me for HOURS or even DAYS.

I toyed with a majority of this chapter for nearly a week, after I'd already written the first half or so, continuing to write as I went back over what I'd written and adding in more detail or editting a scene. While I'm not sure I like the pacing, I also know I probably won't be writing this as a 10+chapter rewrite of the series and EoE.  
Next, I realized by the time I wrote the scene with Kensuke asking Touji about what he'd observed that I'd unconsciously written it similar to The 2nd Try by JimmyWolk.  
Being married, time travel, and their kids coming back will be about as similar as I want this to get.

Probably plenty of spelling errors and such, despite my going over it a good dozen times, but oh well. And I will eventually finish I'm Needed: Redux, it and Angel are why Touji and Asuka are the way they are in this story. Everyone else is simply a bit older than in the series.


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